Teal Wicks, a former Elphaba of Broadway's Wicked, will dismount from the role of Julie Jordan in Goodspeed Musicals' new production of Rodgers & Hammerstein's Carousel. Waiting in the wings to succeed her is Erin Davie, who played Charlotte in the recent Broadway production of A Little Night Music.

Teal Wicks and James Snyder
Photo by Diane Sobolewski

Wicks' final performance at Goodspeed Opera House is Aug. 5. She is preparing to join the Broadway-aimed national tour of Frank Wildhorn and Leslie Bricusse's Jekyll & Hyde. Davie (Broadway's Grey Gardens and Curtains) begins in Carousel on Aug. 8. James Snyder, of Broadway's Cry-Baby, plays Billy Bigelow in the production that began July 13. It runs to Sept. 23 in East Haddam, CT. Opening night is Aug. 1.

The 1945 musical by composer Richard Rodgers and lyricist-librettist Oscar Hammerstein II is based on Ferenc Molnar's Liliom, and focuses on the dysfunctional relationship between a carnival barker and his millworker wife in Maine. Their lives are changed with the birth of their daughter. The score, tinged with regret and unspoken declarations of love, includes "If I Loved You," "You'll Never Walk Alone," "What's the Use of Wondrin'," "June Is Busting Out All Over" and more.

The cast also includes Ronn Carroll (Broadway's Oklahoma!, Annie Get Your Gun, How To Succeed…, Crazy For You and Gypsy) as Starkeeper, Deanne Lorette (Broadway's La Bête, Rep of St. Louis' Sunday in the Park With George) as Mrs. Mullin, Anne Kanengeiser (Broadway's Little Women and Ragtime) as Nettie Fowler and Tally Sessions (Broadway's The House of Blue Leaves) as Jigger. The ensemble includes Jessica Bishop; Beth Crandall; Belle Doraz as a Snow Child; Jennifer Evans; Eloise Kropp as Louise, the daughter of Billy and Julie; Edward Lawrence; Leisa Mather; Jonathan Rayson as Mr. Bascombe; Sam Rogers; Michael Scirrotto; Jet Thomason; Travis Waldschmidt; Aaron Young; and Ethan Pancoast and Fred Thornley IV as the youngest Snow Child. The Swings are Maria Briggs and Andrew Scott Holmes.